China, US officials discuss defense ties (2)

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"In the past, Sino-US military communications focused on bilateral mechanisms and meetings," Zhao said.

The importance of strengthening dialogue has also been underlined as the region has witnessed a growing number of US military joint drills in recent years as well as Washington rebalances its Asia strategy.

While in Washington, Chang expressed his hope the US strategy does not target a specific country. "To a certain degree, these kinds of intensified military activities further complicate the situation in the region," he said.

Meng Xiangqing, deputy director of the Strategic Research Institute at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, said the meeting on Wednesday was the second step toward a new type of military-to-military relationship following the Pentagon talks on Aug 19.

"This matches President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama's vision of a new type of relationship between the major powers. The frequent interactions between the two sides show the defense ties have entered a new era," Meng said.

The Brunei talk between the two defense chiefs will contribute to regional peace and stability and it is also a platform for them to have deeper discussions and avoid misunderstanding, Meng added.

During his first trip to the US after assuming office, Chang had a "candid and deep" talk with Hagel and exchanged views on a series of bilateral and international issues.

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